Ulster County prosecutor says Denning woman’s death was result of brutal act

KINGSTON >> The death of a town of Denning woman this past March was the result of a brutal act of domestic violence by her live-in boyfriend, a prosecutor said on Tuesday.

The statement by Ulster County Assistant District Attorney Michael Kavanagh came as the manslaughter trial of Gerald Babcock, 39, began in Ulster County Court. He is charged in the March 7 death of Jamielynn Bleakley, 37.

Kavanagh said when Babcock called 911 the morning of March 6, he said Bleakley had fallen down some stairs and suffered head and chest injuries. Kavanagh said, though, the injuries she suffered were inconsistent with a fall.

Kavanagh said when emergency responders arrived at the home at 8 Woodfield Road, they found Bleakley lying on the ground outside, covered only by a “ratty” blanket and some plywood the defendant had placed on her. He said it was freezing cold and when the blanket was removed, emergency responders found Bleakley was wearing a T-shirt, stretch pants and sneakers. Her shirt was pulled up in the front and back, exposing her bare skin, Kavanagh said.

The prosecutor also said Bleakley had what looked like drag marks on her back and her throat was so swollen that the paramedics had difficulty intubating her in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

Bleakley was taken first to Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris and later was transferred to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla because she had suffered severe brain injuries, Kavanagh said. He said Bleakley died at Westchester Medical on March 7 as a result of her injuries.

Kavanagh said Bleakley knew Babcock less than three months before she died. He also said the mother of two young children suffered from multiple sclerosis and, on good days, could walk with a cane.

The prosecutor said the defense would admit Babcock was a domestic abuser but would claim he did not kill Bleakley.

Babcock’s attorney, Ulster County Public Defender Andrew Kossover, said in his opening statement that Babcock “is a bad guy” but the jury should consider whether the evidence presented by the prosecution is consistent with Bleakley’s cause of death or if another theory might make more sense.

Kossover said Babcock’s assault of Bleakley did not cause her death and that he spent a lot of time during jury selection on the topic of domestic violence because he was worried evidence about it would sway jurors’ decisions in the case.

Witnesses who testified on Tuesday included emergency responders who answered the 911 call on March 6.

Jessica Contrys, an emergency medical technician with Mobilemedic EMS in Sullivan County, said she saw Bleakley lying face down on the ground with the right side of her face in the snow. Bleakley “wasn’t dressed appropriately for the weather” and her shirt and sports bra were pulled up, Contrys said.

She said Bleakley was not breathing normally and had scrape marks on her back. She said she pointed out the scrape marks to her partner because they “seemed a little abnormal for someone who had fallen.”

Contrys also said Bleakley was unconscious and never regained consciousness while she was present.